DALLAS – Today, in 1986, the original Frontier Airlines (FL) ceased operations.
Thousands of passengers were stranded after the collapse. On August 28, the airline had to file for bankruptcy under the US Chapter 11 procedure after a deal with United Airlines (UA) to buy the airline fell through.
Story
Frontier’s history dates back to June 1, 1950, the merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines and Monarch Airlines.
From Denver, Colorado, FL served 40 cities in the Rocky Mountain region with a fleet of 12 Douglas DC-3s. Later, the Convair CV-340, CV-440 and the turboprop CV-580 were added.
In 1966, the jet age began with the introduction of the Boeing 727-100, which FL called the “Arrow Jet.” The -200 series was launched in February 1968, followed by the Boeing 737-200 in May 1969. From May 1982, Frontier also operated the McDonnell Douglas MD-80.
First female flight crew
On January 29, 1973, FL hired pilot Emily Howell Warner. Her first flight as second officer was on February 6 from Denver (DEN) to Las Vegas (LAS), and within six months she was promoted to first officer. On June 6, 1976, she became the first female captain in the United States.
In the early 1980s, FL began to struggle due to increasing competition in the newly deregulated market. On October 5, 1985, the airline was acquired by PEOPLExpress (PE) and continued operations as an independent airline until its collapse.
The Frontier name was revived on July 5, 1994, after several former FL executives formed the new Frontier Airlines (F9). Operations began with a fleet of 737-200s from Denver (DEN) to four cities in North Dakota. Today, F9 is the 11th largest airline in the United States.
Featured image: FL operated 56 Boeing 737 aircraft.
